One of the brightest and funniest comics to perform on stage, Richard Jeni, an actor and comedian who played to sold-out crowds, had popular HBO specials, and was a regular on the "Tonight Show" died of an alleged self-inflicted gunshot wound in an apparent suicide, police said in a statement Sunday.
Police found the 45-year-old comedian alive but mortally injured in a West Hollywood apartment when they responded to a call Saturday morning from Jeni's girlfriend, Los Angeles Police Officer Norma Eisenman said.
Eisenman said the caller told police: "My boyfriend shot himself in the face."
The AP reports Jeni died at a nearby hospital.
Eisenman said suicide had not been officially confirmed and the investigation was continuing.
Jeni regularly toured as a road comic, and had starred in several HBO comedy specials, most recently "A Big Steaming Pile of Me."
Forbes reports that his other HBO special, "Platypus Man," won a Cable ACE award for best standup comedy special, and formed the basis for his UPN sitcom of the same name, which ran for one season.